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One Thing
OA is One Direction Part of the Songfic Series. ENJOY! One Thing I've tried playing it cool :The Gathering is crowded and I slip between cats- not an easy thing. I may be a new warrior, but my broad shoulders and muscular build, I tend to knock over a few of the elders and young apprentices. Oh well. :I find a spot near the back and lounge at the base of one of the Four Oaks. Silvermist, one of the she-cats in my Clan gives me a nod, her blue eyes bright. I purr and nod back. Her friends giggle and the pad away whispering. Nice to know that she-cats still love me. :I look up at the Great Rock. ThunderClan's leader is staring out at the Clans with a focused stare while WindClan and ShadowClan's leaders talk quietly. My leader, Volestar is licking his paw. The Gathering is nowhere near to starting. Urgh. I turn to the side and wonder if I should see where Silvermist has gone. :Then I see her. But when I look at you :She's currently tussling with a ShadowClan tom who's twice her size. Her ginger and white fur is puffed up, amber eyes narrowed. With a hiss of defeat, the ShadowClan cat slouches to the ground and the she-cat yowls her victory to StarClan. I pad over and scent the air. ThunderClan. Mouse dung. :She turns and eyes me with an intelligent gaze. Her fur is ragged and sticks out in places, but she still manages to make me feel less groomed. "You want to fight?" :It takes me a moment to recover my normally sharp tongue, "You? Sorry, I don't fight ThunderClan. And a she-cat?" I turn, hiding the twitch of my whiskers. :Sure enough, a second later a great weight hits me. I roll over, pinning her to the ground. She bares her teeth in frustration and heaves upwards, displacing me. I fall, rolling out of the way in time to dodge her claws. She's quick. :My fall has unbalanced me, and before I can right myself, the ginger and white she-cat has me pinned, her claws at my throat. The cats around me laugh. :"You hold up better then most cats," she says, whiskers twitching, "I wouldn't expect that form some RiverClan tom. Rematch?" I can never be brave :Yes! I think, A mouse-brained ThunderClan she-cat could never beat me twice! :But for some reason I respond, "No thanks." to save face, I add, "You see, I want my pelt to be nice for the Gathering." :She shrugs, eyes sparkling, "Have it your way Pretty Tom." :The ThunderClan deputy Redfur has padded over to us, "You've met my daughter?" he purrs, "Mapleshade, the best fighter in ThunderClan." Cuz you make my heart race... :Mapleshade... :She nods with a smugness only I could identify with. "I was given my warrior name a quarter moon ago." :"Me too," I meow. Redfur slips away and I tip my head, "Nice cat... but I didn't have you pegged as the type who needed her father to fight for her." :Mapleshade's whiskers twitch, "Maybe he should fight for you- you just might be able to beat me in a fight," :Before I can respond, she has swept away into the crowd of cats. I find myself trying to find her with my eyes, then give myself a shake and return to my spot while the leader's begin. :The Gathering is interesting as usual, but I find myself thinking about the ginger and white she-cat who so easily beat me, probably the best fighter in RiverClan, in a fight. When the gathering wraps up, Silvermist finds me again, "Ready to head home?" :"One second..." I say, ignoring her and dashing through the wave of leaving cats. Mapleshade's bright fur is easy enough to spot and I nudge her. She turns and regards me with the expression of someone who is indulging a kit in a play-fight, "Yeah?" :"I changed my mind," I gasp, short for breath, "Rematch, tomorrow night at Sunning Rocks." Shot me out of the sky! :Her eyes narrow, "Trespassing? I don't think so." :My heart falls as she turns. :"So tomorrow night on your side of the river," she says flippantly. :She pads away before I can think of a witty retort. You're my kryptonite! :"You have fun?" Silvermist is asking me as we pad home. :Silvermist is pretty, I'll admit. And she hasn't exactly said it, but it's obvious she likes me. We've never done anything, but she does linger in my mind occasionally. But she's never beaten me in a fight. :I've never really liked the idea of love. Sure, some she-cats are interested in me, but I drive most of them away with what Silvermist calls my 'charm'. I've never liked any she-cat really and I scoff at the toms who let themselves get starry-eyed. :But... You keep making me weak :The next day inches by slowly. I go hunting with Silvermist, then go on a patrol. That night, I sneak out of the warriors' den and into the camp. I stand there, in the shadows for a moment, thinking. :I will be letting a ThunderClan she-cat onto RiverClan territory. Mapleshade made it clear she didn't want me in ThunderClan... so why should I let her on ours? I should tell her off and chase her away. :I sigh and pad out through the dirt place tunnel. Yeah, frozen and can't breathe... :I spit dirt from my mouth, "Fox dung!" :I can hear Mapleshade purring above me, "Just accept that you lost." she meows as I try to wriggle but find myself unable to move even a little, "Again." :"Never!" I hiss, trying to throw her off. But she simply pushes me back to the ground. I huff, annoyed greatly. She lets me up, eyes gold against the silver of the moon. :"Another round?" she asks. "Or are you two bruised from your last two beatings. :I smirk, "Please, you wouldn't know what a beating was if it hit you on the nose." :"So what have I been doing for the last few hours? Pulverizing you?" :I open my jaws and roll my eyes, "Tomorrow night, same place?" :Mapleshade hesitates, then nods. Some things gotta give now :Every other night for a moon. Mapleshade isn't like some she-cats- she doesn't ask me about myself or reveal much about her own life. But I find myself more and more drawn to her every time we spare. And after a quarter moon, I get better at fighting and it's more evenly matched which helps my self-esteem. :One night, after a particularly stunning win of mine, Mapleshade takes me down. I take a chance. If there's one thing I've never had a problem with, it's my confidence. :"Mapleshade?" :"Hmm?" :"I love you," I say. Then I wait for the inevitable words, the 'me too'. :Instead, she turns and walks away. Cuz I'm dying to make you see :I wait at the border for the next few nights and she never shows up. Fortunately, the Gathering has rolled around and I got chosen to go again. Silvermist had to stay behind and apart of me is relieved while another part of me is uncomfortable. :I find myself annoyed with the pace Volestar has set, my paws itching to speed to Four Trees and claw some sense into Mapleshade. :Finally we get there and I find her immediately. When she sees me coming, she sighs and pads into a dark shadow of the place. I follow her. :"You know, most she-cats would be thrilled if I declared my love for them," I meow sarcastically. :"I'm not most she-cats," Mapleshade retorts sharply, "I know you're dim-witted, but I'm sure after a moon you'd figure it out." :Ouch. I don't let her see that one landed. "Why are you acting so cold? I thought we were fine together." she smirks and opens her jaws, probably to make fun of my 'feelings' and I press on, "We've been at the last three Gatherings together and I've never seen you talk with your own Clan mates. Besides your Daddy." :She flinches and I know I've hit something. :"I just really like you," I say, softly. "Why is that such a bad thing?" That I need you here with me now :"No toms like me," Mapleshade scoffs, though I can see something in her eyes, "I wish... well, cats make fun of me for it." :"Like who?" I say, outraged. :"My mentor," the words slip out and she closes her eyes, grimacing. :"You still have a mentor?" I ask, confused. :"No!" she says hurriedly. Something is lurking in her eyes, something she's not telling me, "No, my...old mentor." :"Wasn't that your father?" :"Just shut up!" she says, rolling her eyes. I bite my tongue. "I just thought you might be...joking." she finishes lamely. Cuz you've got that one thing. :"Well I'm not," I point out helpfully, "So..?" :"I'll see you at the border tomorrow," she meows, slipping away. :"That's not-" I protest, but she's already gone. So get out, get out, get out of my head! :I spend the night tossing and turning, unable to get Mapleshade out of my head. What did she mean? Is she going to tel me to stay away from her? Is she going to say she loves me? does she just want to be friends? And fall into my arms instead! :Why can't she just tell me she loves me? I don't, I don't, don't know what it is! But I need that one thing... And you've got that one thing... :I sigh. It would be so much easier if I liked Silvermist. Which I do, but...Oh StarClan, it's complicated. :I do like Silvermist, but something pulls me towards...Mapleshade. :Bad-tempered, teasing, beautiful, smart, funny Mapleshade. Now I'm climbing the walls. :Mapleshade met me in the starlight on RiverClan land. She looked pretty- like she'd actually groomed for once. :"Hey," I say softly as she approached me. She nodded back. "So, you ready to be mates?" :She gives me a dead stare, "Ha ha. Can we please be serious?" :"Sure, sure," I backtrack hastily. :Mapleshade sits, tail curled around her paws neatly. She looks smaller now then ever, "All I've ever wanted was to be the greatest warrior ever." she meowed softly, "I never wanted anything else." :"Me too," I said quietly, "I think if I could go back and time and tell myself that I would voluntarily let a ThunderClan cat over our borders..." I meet her eyes, imploring her to listen to me, "I've sacrificed so much Mapleshade. And I know you're not an ordinary she-cat who thinks love is great, but I've let you on our land, I've let myself keep seeing you, I've lost to you in battle and come back for more. I've sacrificed a lot for you." But you don't notice at all! :She blinks at me, wide amber eyes reflecting the moon, "I'm not ready," she says simply, "Now, can we fight?" That I'm going out of my mind All day and all night... :The next few days are agonizing. Meeting every night, her never saying anything about it. :Silvermist asked me what was wrong. "You wouldn't understand," I said dejectedly. :She pressed against me, "I'll always be here for you," she murmured before slipping away. Somethings gotta give now. :Seven nights after I told Mapleshade how I felt, she met me once more on the border, crossing over to the RiverClan side. :"Look, Mapleshade-" :"I love you," :I blink, "Oh really?" Great StarClan, what a dumb thing to say! :She flattens her ears, looking embarrassed, "Yes you furball." she rolls her eyes, "I liked you for a long time, but... I just didn't want to say it. But I do." she blinks, looking slightly surprised at herself. :I'd never been more happy. 'Cuz I'm dying just to know your name' And I need you here with me now' :A moon later, in one of our meetings, Mapleshade show up, practically glowing. :"I'm expecting kits," she said without preamble. :My eyes widened and she purred. "That's great!" I meowed, "But... what are we going to do?" :She waved her tail dismissively, "ThunderClan won't ask who the father is and you can visit them sometimes. I'll bring them to the border." :I say nothing, simply pressing against her, twining tails. Cuz you've got that one thing... :My kits. Every day for two moons I woke up wondering what Mapleshade was doing. Was she okay? Getting the right medicine? Sleeping enough? Getting enough food? It was leaf-bare, but Mapleshade was the toughest she-cat I knew. She would be okay. :And so would our kits. :One day she didn't show up. Lately, we'd just been talking since she was getting to large to do any proper fighting. But when she didn't show up for three days straight, I knew the kits had been born. :I had to see them. It burned at me and I had no idea how I would be able to keep calm in front of my Clanmates. Mapleshade had my kits! :Finally, on the fourth night, I stood at the border, wavering. Mapleshade had never let me on ThunderClan land. I knew she was hurting herself enough by meeting me, I wouldn't hurt her more by going on her land. But I had to see the kits. :ThunderClan territory was dark and I cursed as I tried to navigate the roots and trees that jumped from nowhere. But finally I reached the camp. Prowling around the edges, I find the nursery by its warm scent. I toss a pebble down and after a few more tries, Mapleshade pads out. She motions for me to come down and I do. :"You're lucky I'm the only queen right now," she whispers as we press into the nursery. :In a soft moss nest, two kits are curled around each other. One is a ginger and white she-cat, her tail being twitching in her sleep, the other a dark gray tom like me. I wonder if his eyes are amber like his mother's or blue like mine. :"I named the tom Stormkit," she meows, eyes soft as she looks at our kits. "You can name the she-cat." :I stare at my tiny daughter, whiskers twitching as she yawns and opens her eyes. They're amber- like her mother's. "Amberkit," I whisper softly. :Mapleshade presses against me, "I love you so much." So get out, get out, get out of my head! :Less then a moon later, she stands by me, her eyes glassy with tears, "I need to bring the kits to RiverClan." :I feel pleased, but also worried, "Why? Did they finally realize their mother was crazy?" :"No jokes!" she hissed, panicked, "Lionstar found out about us!" :My eyes widened, "Well you don't have to leave..." :"Yes I do," she meowed bitterly, "He's making me." :"Oh." I say, pressing against her comfortingly. :"I'll bring the kits tomorrow night." she said miserably. :"Do you need help?" I ask, trying to be nice. :She turned on me, amber eyes blazing, "I have my leader and the whole world nagging me about these StarClan forsaken kits, I don't need you worrying about them either! I can handle them!" :She turned and stalked away. And fall into my arms instead! :I wait all day anxiously. I know Mapleshade will be okay, but my thoughts linger on the kits. I love them so much, sometimes it hurts. But now they'll get to live with me! :I talked to Volestar and though he was shocked and a little disappointed, he said Mapleshade, Stormkit, and Amberkit could stay. :The sun set and I went to wait outside of camp. Mapleshade had told me to wait here, a little away from camp so she could talk to the kits. :The moon rises and a silhouette appears on the horizon. Mapleshade. She streaks towards me. :Alone. I don't, I don't, don't know what it is... :"Where are the kits?" I demand, rushing to her. :Her eyes are elsewhere, and it chills me to see the insanity in them, "I did everything I could," she whispers, "But the river...oh StarClan no, please no..." :"WHAT HAPPENED?!" I shrieked. :"The kits..." she whispered, "The river was too much...they were so little..." :"You...you..." I leaped at her, forcing her to look at me, "You DROWNED our kits?!" :"No!" she wailed, "It was an accident! I'm so sorry..." :"Leave," I hissed. :"But...but ThunderClan won't-" :"GET OUT!" I yowled, "I hate you, I hate you! Leave me alone! You killed my kits!" :Mapleshade got up and stared at me with wide eyes. I let out a furious howl and charged her. She fled with a shriek and I collapsed on the ground, sobbing. :Silvermist found me, hours later, "They're not coming?" she meowed softly. :All I could do was shake my head. But I need that one thing... :My mate had killed my kits. :At night, nightmares of Amberkit screaming for me as her paws vanished beneath black bubbling water tormented me. :Silvermist was there all along. She comforted me, she talked to me, she pressed against me in my weakest moments. :And over time I began to love her. And you've got that one thing! :"Silvermist," I meowed, "After Mapleshade..." even now it hurt. I flinched, "I didn't think I'd feel this way about anyone again. But..." :She purred, tail twining with mine, "I know." So get out, get out, get out of my mind! :Silvermist and I are mates now. I love her with all my heart. I can never replace Amberkit and Stormkit but when she told me she was expecting kits, I felt something I hadn't felt in a while. :So why can't I get Mapleshade out of my head? And come on, come on into my life. :I keep seeing flashes of ginger and white fur. :And then, one day, she's there. :Matted fur, a few twigs stuck in it. She appears before me as I'm hunting, scaring away a vole. :"I know about Silvermist," she hisses, "You broke my heart. And I'm going to break yours." :Then she vanishes into the trees. I don't, I don't, don't know what it is! :I look over my shoulder. I sleep outside the nursery. Any other cat would be thought crazy, but everyone thinks I just want to assure these kits will be safer then my last. :I let them think that. But I need that once thing :Two moons of waiting and looking over my shoulder, they arrive. :He's perfect. Gray like his mother with dark stripes the shade of my own, with blue eyes. :She's perfect as well. Light brown fur and blue eyes. And you've got that one thing... :After a quarter moon, I relax a little. Mapleshade lied. She might not even be alive. That's all I saw, a ghost. You've got that one thing.... :Half a moon later. So get out, get out, get out of my head! :We're taking a walk, me, Silvermist, and Stonekit when she attacks. :She's quick, as quick as when we fought. I lagged behind to point out a squirrel nest to Stonepaw and when I turned around, Silvermist was already falling, a warning still on her lips. And fall into my arms instead! :I jumped in front of Stonekit, "Run!" I hiss. :Mapleshade steps towards me, "I've learned a few tricks since you got me banished," she purrs. :I crouch, ready to fight her. I brace myself as she runs towards me, then widen my eyes as she leaps over me, thundering towards Stonekit who can't outrun her. I don't, I don't, don't know what it is! :It's a move not even the cruelest warrior would make. I charge after her, "Stonekit!" :There's a small shriek and I barrel into Mapleshade. Stonekit's body tumbles to the ground and I pin Mapleshade down. But I need that once thing, :She look up at me, "Do it. Kill me," And you've got that one thing... :I look into the amber eyes, the ones that turned golden in the moon light, the ones I've loved since forever. So get out, get out, get out of my mind! :I bring my claws down. And come on, come on into my life. I don't, I don't, don't know what it is! :I plod back to camp, Stonekit's body on my back, carrying Silvermist. Volestar sees and pads over to meet me. He opens his jaws to ask, but I brush past him. :I lay my mate and kit's body down in the center of camp, then head to the medicine den. :Inside, Lilykit lays. She looks up when she sees me, "I wish I could've come with you on your walk with mother and Stonekit," she pouts, "Stupid white-cough." :I curl around her, "I'm so glad you didn't," I whisper. But I need that once thing :Lilykit grew up and became Lilyflower. She had a son, named Shellkit. :I never regretted killing Mapleshade- if Lilyflower had died... I would've been left without a reason to live. :But sometimes I'll go out to where we sat by the river. :Remembering the she-cat who came before the monster. And you've got that one thing... Category:Artimas Hunter's Fanfics